WHAT IT’S ABOUT
After the death of his wife, a man in his 40s (Marlon Brando) has a chance run-in with a beautiful 20-year-old Parisian while shopping for an apartment. This starts an anonymous sexual affair between the two in which the only rule is to not learn anything about each other. Over the course of several weeks, they couple explores various facets of sexuality – from role play to abusive actions.

WHAT I LIKED
I can’t say that I really liked anything from “Last Tango in Paris,” but I can say that I respected it for what it was trying to do. I respected the attempt to make a French film with French style for a wider audience, which ended up clicking in America. I respect the pushing of the envelope of sexuality. I respect the fact that the film proudly wore its X rating (even though it was eventually was edited for an R release). And I respect the acting in the extremely vulnerable situations it presented.

Oh, and titties. I did like those.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
This movie is so indicative of the 70s, with grown adults moping around and wondering what to do with their lives. It seems so out of touch now in an era when soul searching still exists but is not so accepted by the mainstream.

I understand how this film pushed boundaries with condiments, but it all seems so mundane in our modern world where a couple mouse clicks can get you to in-your-face POV internet porn. It just doesn’t seem very naughty any more, and even during the scenes where they were pushing the envelope, things just didn’t seem natural. (Forgive me being crass, but in the infamous “butter scene,” I refuse to believe that Brando even had his fly undone.)

As an adult who has my life and family figured out – and who also happens to not be a raging asshole like Brando’s character in the film – I have no sympathy for the characters. Watching the film, I feel like I would if I watched two hipsters bitching about the MPAA across some overpriced coffee. It just seems so unnecessary.

BLU-RAY FEATURES
Unfortunately, the disc only contains a theatrical trailer as it’s bonus content.

WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Viewers who like French films and sexuality… even if it’s not that titillating by today’s standards.